To better grasp this leadership virtue commonly misunderstood as too touchy-feely, true empathy happens when we we imagine the world, or a situation, from someone else's point of view rather than our own.

It's what researchers sometimes call "mind reading." It involves being good at reading others' emotions and body language. Even research agrees of empathy's strength and potential for influencing others.

In one DDI study of over 15,000 leaders from more than 300 organizations across 20 industries and 18 countries, empathy rose to the top as the most critical driver of overall performance. Specifically, the ability to listen and respond with empathy.

"I believe leaders fail to demonstrate 'leadership love' because they're more focused on a 'just get it done' mentality. When leaders like that are rushing to accomplish a goal, empathy can fall by the wayside. They don't take the time to consider how their team feels or thinks. And while the goal may be accomplished in the end, it comes at a cost to morale that may ultimately carry a heavy price."

Don't underestimate empathy's true potential. My advice for readers in decision-making roles is to begin developing leaders to learn this relational skill for competitive advantage. In the end, your ability to empathize is critical to good teamwork and will make a big difference in the performance of others.

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